A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and the Federal United Party (FEDUP) will contest the March 2, 2020 elections as a “single entity” though the details of what that entity will be called or how it will function to maintain the individual identities of the two parties remain unclear.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the GCC called on “Charrandass Day”, ANUG Chairman Timothy Jonas, explained that while the two “are stand alone and self-sufficient” they recognized ethno-political voting as a common enemy and are willing to work together rather than compete for the limited number of independent voters available.
The entity does not yet have a name but ANUG’s Presidential Candidate Ralph Ramkarran will according to Jonas retain that position.
Yesterday, Stabroek News reported that attorney-at-law Chandra Sohan, a member of FEDUP had said that his party is not inclined to align with any other political organization but after discussion has agreed to collaborate with ANUG.
Jonas stressed that approximately 70% to 80% of the population are party loyalists who will vote along ethnic lines and consider their party of choice to be the “lesser of two evils.”
“We recognize that we are addressing independent minds which have risen above party loyalties which is 25- 30% of the population. We know based on the AFC performance in 2011 that that is about 25,000 voters so if there are five real new parties and possibly 25,000 independent voters as a matter of Maths each will get less than 5,000 votes if they fight among themselves for independent voters,” he explained.
This statistical reality led to the party reaching out to FEDUP, The New Movement and the Citizenship Initiative (CI) in an attempt to find common ground and make plans for the way forward.
While that meeting led to a commitment of mutual support, TNM has since announced that it will not be joining any coalitions which CI has not committed either way.
According to Jonas, negotiations with TNM stalled after idealism within that party led to unrealistic aspirations. He was however keen to indicate that ANUG wishes the party of young professionals the very best.
Speaking about Change Guyana – helmed by businessman Robert Badal, Jonas noted that ANUG has not reached out to that party nor has that party reached out to them.
Change Guyana’s approach he explained has so far been to suggest that the new parties dissolve and their members join Change Guyana.
“It has not been a meeting of equals,” Jonas stressed.
As to the expectations following the March 2, 2020 general elections, the party has reiterated that it is not their expectation to form the next government.
“We hope to leverage constitutional reform with whichever party is in opposition. That’s our end game; our long term plan…If we have a majority opposition we can amend existing laws to introduce a form of inclusive government,” he said.
What happens if the governing party refuses to cooperate? Well according to Jonas another no-confidence motion could be on the horizon.
He stressed that with FEDUP representing an identifiable region it has brought home the importance of constituency politics and the parties also hopes to push for a truly representative governing model.
Currently 25 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly are reserved for Constituency representatives with each constituency corresponding with one of the 10 administrative regions of Guyana.
Jonas explained that often the regional representative from a large party does not live in nor understand the issues facing residents of the region. A state of affairs which is unacceptable.
Asked if they were concerned about either party losing their individual identity to the “unit”, Jonas said no.
“As much as the AFC is subsumed by the APNU we still know the AFC as AFC,” he quipped.
While FEDUP has said they are not interested in aligning with any other grouping, ANUG has announced that they remain open to collaborating with any other third party or new party.
They have however completely excluded the governing APNU+AFC and opposition PPP/C from any possible collaboration as they move towards Nomination Day.
